Blue Shark vs Mako Shark – Are They Dangerous?

blue shark vs mako
blue shark vs mako

Sharks are just like other fishes, this means that they are also ectothermic (cold-blooded) and live in water, breathe with their gills, and have fins.

Nonetheless, sharks are different from the Osteichthyes fish because their skeleton is made up of cartilage instead of bone.

They grow very slowly and also have a very low rate of reproduction. Scientists also believe that sharks live longer than usual fish. However, they have not yet discovered any accurate way that determines the lifespan or age of a shark.

Sharks tend to live all around the world, from tropical lagoons to polar seas. Some sharks also inhabit freshwater rivers and lakes though this depends on their variety.

Talking about this blue shark and mako shark are both popular varieties that people often ask questions about.

Both of these species are quite similar which is why you might get confused between them. If you are running into this issue, then going through this article should help you out.

This is because we will be providing you with a comparison between these varieties that can help you in differentiating them.

Blue Shark vs Mako Shark

Sharks Blue Shark Mako Shark
Sexual Maturity 5 – 7 years About 18 years
Gestation 9 – 12 months 15 – 18 months
Max TL 383 cm 384 cm
Reproduction 4 – 135 pups

(34 average)

4 – 24 pups

(10 – 18 average)

Longevity 20 years 30 years

Blue Shark

The blue shark or also sometimes known as the great blue shark is a variety from the family Carcharhinidae. These are from the species of requiem shark that are usually found roaming around in the deep waters.

You should note that the variety can be found in both tropical and temperate oceans.

blue shark sea

When it comes to this, people need to understand that shark is quite common. These are present on both the Atlantic coasts as well as the Pacific ones.

People living in Canada even report running into these sharks occasionally because of how common they are.

Generally, the shark has a total weight of around 110 kg while it is an adult. This makes it quite heavy, but you should note that their length can also reach up to 13 feet.

Most standard blue sharks are around 10 feet long which is also quite long. Identifying the fish can be easy because of its color palette.

This starts with a blue shade that starts to fade as you come across the belly. The color will get lighter and lighter until it turns white. These fish have slender bodies that are paired with their large eyes.

While the variety does not look dangerous, staying cautious is still essential.

The great thing about these sharks is that they will most likely stay away from your unless provoked.

caught blue shark

The relatively unaggressive behavior of the variety makes it safe, but the shark might sometimes get curious when you are nearby. This is why divers often stay on guard when these fish are nearby.

The special thing about this variety is that it is highly migratory. The fish usually makes several trips across entire oceans throughout their lifetime. This is made possible due to the large pectoral fins of the fish that allows it to swim swiftly.

The variety usually rides along the current of the ocean allowing it to conserve its energy so that it can look for prey when required.

These fish usually hunt for smaller varieties, but you will notice that their diet consists of numerous varieties. This includes squids, seals, and even smaller fish.

Red herring, white hake, cod, pollock, silver hake, red hake, swordfish, and even mackerel are all fish that this variety enjoys eating.

swordfish

This is why if you are trying to fish for any of these fish then you might come across a blue shark. Just make sure that you avoid interrupting it so that the fish swims away.

Mako Shark

Mako sharks or also sometimes known as Isurus are a genus of mackerel sharks that are quite popular. These are much larger in size and robust when compared to the blue shark.

You should note that mako sharks are also considered to be the fastest variety of sharks.

This is made possible by the body shape of the shark which allows it to travel at high speeds.

mako shark water

These fish are also highly migratory and tend to change their location depending on the temperature of the water. The variety can also move around looking for prey.

You should note that it is quite common for these fish to swim from ocean to ocean just trying to look for prey.

This makes it harder for people to search for the fish in case they are trying to hunt it. Talking about this, you should note that mako sharks also require a lot of equipment to catch.

This is because the large size of the variety can easily break most lines and rods. Even your bait has to be large enough so that it does not get bitten off easily by the shark.

Now that you understand this, another thing to note about the variety is that it is usually found at lower levels.

When it comes to the taste of the variety, this is loved by people all around the world.

You should note that the taste is often compared with swordfish but there are several differences between these two varieties. Fish like these are generally harder to catch because of their large size behavior.

This is why even if you can find shark meat, this will most likely be quite expensive. Though, the meat is rich in nutrients which makes it quite healthy as well as delicious to consume.

With that being said, most people should be able to understand how the two varieties are different from each other.

Comparing the varieties side-by-side makes it obvious for most people to tell the differences between them. Though, when it comes to behavior, both of these sharks are quite similar.

The only way to tell them apart is by taking them out of the water so that you can observe their color and shape.

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